Spring-shoe amusement device



July 31, 1928. 1,679,046

E. MENEFEE SPRING SHOE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed, March 2, 1926 E L -l. j/ M 5 9 w z +z 98 5 C Elam/M 1 Patented July 31, 1928 UNITED STATES 1,679,046 PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER MENEFEE, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO ALLEN HENRY STANLEY, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

SPRING-SHOE musnmrm'r nEvIcn.

Application filed March 2, 1926. Serial No. 91,794.

tached to ones feet, and which will incite a springing movement to the wearer when walking, running, or performing various other exercises.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide a spring shoe amusement devlce embodying a pair of superposed platessupported one above the other by r esihentsupporting members, the plates being of identical outline in plan, and with the plate so constructed as to permit of reversal of the device for permitting of either of the plates serving as the base plate of the dev1ce.

A further object of the 1nvent-1on 1s to provide an improved amusement devlce 1n the form of a spring shoe, embodying an upper plate of identical construction at each of its ends, with foot attaching means so connected with the upper plate as to permit of the same being interchanged end for end of the upper plates.

Other objects and advantages of the 1nvention will be apparent during the course of the following detail description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of one of the improved spring shoes and showing the same in position upon the foot of a wearer.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22 of Figure 1 and looking upwardly in the directionef the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on 'line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding: parts throughout the several views, the letters A and B designate respectively spaced base and top plates, C resilient means for supporting of the top plate B in suierposed relation above the plate A, and foot attaching means carried by the plate B.

The plates A and B, and which are preferably formedof wood, are of identical outline in plan. and each being formed with flat upper and lower surfaces as illustrated in Figure 1. These plates A and B, and

which are of elongated formation. may be madeof various lengths in accordance with the size of the shoe to which the device is to be attached.

"Referring particularly now to the base plate A, the same is formed with straight side walls 5 which extend in parallel relation to one another, While' each end of the plate is formed with arcuate end walls 6 having their arcs of curvature equal to onehalf the width of the plate. These walls 5 and 6 extend in a vertical plane or at a right angle to the upper and lower surfaces of the plate. The lower edges of the walls 5 and 6 may curve into the bottom surface of the plate as at 7 for eliminating the sharp edges at the bottom portion of the plate which might cause the plate to hang when being used.

Referring now to the upper or top plate B, and which as before stated is of identical outline in plan as that of the base plate A, the same is provided with straight parallel side walls 8 and arcuate end walls 9 of equal radius to one another. As will be clearly seen in Figure 1, the plates A and B are, formed relatively thick.

Referring now to the resilient supporting means C, the same consists of a pair of coil sprlngs arranged equi-distant from each end of the plates, and which coil springs have their lower ends resting upon the upper surface of the base plate centrally of the longitudinal axis thereof, and have their upper ends enga ing the under surface of the top plate an with the axis of the coil springs arranged at the longitudinal center of the top plate. Connected about the lowermost convolution of each spring, are cotter pins 10 which extend downwardly through the base plate A and may have their ends spread as do the cotter pins 11 connected with the uppermost convolution of the springs and which extends upwardly through the top plate as clearly illustrated in Figure 3.

As will be observed in Figure 3, the convolution of the springs extend through the 100 eye of the cotter pin at one face of the plate, and the ends 12 of the cotter pin are spread in opposite directions against the opposite face of the plate. By so providing three or more of these cotter pins about the terminal convolutions of the spring it will be seen that a the springs are effectively and efiiciently held in proper relation to the plates A and B. In use, it will be seen that the spread ends of the cotter pins 10 will engage the suriaceupon which the person is walking or jumping, and thus tend to further spread the points 'and draw the lowermost convolutions of the springs into still firmer contact with the upper surface of the base plate.

- It will of course be understood that various sized springs may be employed in accordance with'the weight of the person using the device. I

Referring now to the foot attaching means D, the same embodies a heel counter '15 formed of leather or such similar material,

and it is intended to be secured at itslower portion to'one arcuate end wall 9 of the top plate, as by means of suitable driven or screw threaded fastening elements 16, andwhich fastening elements in the example shown are passed through the lower portlon of the heel counter into the vertical arcuate end wall of the plate. An adjustable ankle strap 17 is connected with the heel counter 15 for positioning about the instep of the wearer. An'adjustable toe strap 18 passes beneath the top plate B adjacent the opposite end of the plate from the, heel counter 15,

and through which driven or screw threaded fastenin elements 19 may extendinto the- 4 side wa s 8 for preventing separation of the toe strap from the late when the device is removed from the f dot ofythe wearer.

The object in so forming each-end of the plate'Bof identical formation, and so detachably connecting the foot attaching means to the plate, is to permit of 'the heel counter and toe strap bein interchanged end for .end of the plate s ould the base plate A become worn, or should the tension of either of the springs changes'o as to cause it to be desirable to have the heel of the person wearing the device disposed at the opposite end of the top plate. It will be readily apparent that the spring disposed under the heel portion of the wearer will receive more strain than the spring arranged under the toe of the wearer, and which weakening of the rear spr' would deem it desirable to reverse the oot attaching meansof the the plates A andB are of identical outline in plan, and the springs are'arranged equidistant inwardly from each end of the plates.

It will of course be understood that two of the devices will be worn, and by reason of the fact that each of the devices will be formed identical,- the same may be worn on .either foot of thexperson wearing the devices.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a novel spring shoe construction hasbeen provided embodying a pair of superposed plates of identical, outline in plan, with resilient means interposed between and connected to the plates at like'distances from each end of the plates, and with foot attaching means which may be interchanged end for end of the device to permit of either end of the device constituting the front portion of the spring shoe.

Changes in detail may be made to the specific form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the mventiQn or the scope of the following claim.

I'claim: g Y A device of the class described comprising a pair of superposed plates, the uppermost plate being provided with parallel side walls and arcuate end walls of equal'radius, coil springs disposed between the plates and disposed equi-distant inwardly from each end of the plates, a flexible heel counter detachably connected at its lower portion with one arcuate' end wall of the upper plate and interchangeable to the opposite arcuate end wall, an adjustable ankle strap carried by .the heel counter, and a toe strap extendin transversely beneath the upper plate an secured to the side walls thereof.

J EIMER'MENEFEE.

above the spring of greatest. 

